The invention relates to a smoke warning system in particular for use in aircraft.
Smoke warning systems in common use function with optical smoke warning transmitters. These smoke warning transmitters apply the so-called diffused-light principle with a specified alarm threshold. In the case where there is no smoke and there are no particles, the receiver does not receive a signal because there is a barrier between the light source and said receiver. However, if smoke particles (or other particles) are encountered in this region, then the light is scattered and the receiver registers a corresponding signal rise. If this signal rise exceeds a specified threshold value, the smoke warning transmitter issues an alarm.
However, the above-mentioned functional principle is associated with a disadvantage in that not only smoke particles but all aerosols cause light scattering and can thus cause the smoke warning transmitter to assume an alarm state. In practical application it has been shown that for example fog, dust or even the use of insecticides has caused false alarms.
In most applications such false alarms pose a safety risk. For this reason, high priority is accorded to minimising the probability of faults occurring.
The above-mentioned problem is even more acute in the case of mobile smoke warning systems which at times are confronted with quickly changing ambient conditions.